Jury selection has commenced in the criminal trial against Hunter Biden, marking a historic moment as the first trial of a sitting president’s child. This significant legal proceeding unfolded just days after former President Donald Trump was convicted on unrelated charges, further intensifying the 2024 presidential election landscape.
Hunter Biden, 54, appeared at the Wilmington courthouse to face three felony charges related to his 2018 purchase and possession of a revolver. Accused of lying about his illegal drug use when purchasing a Colt Cobra .38-caliber revolver and illegally possessing the weapon for 11 days in October 2018, Biden has entered a plea of not guilty.
The case is being prosecuted by US Special Counsel David Weiss, a Trump appointee, who is also handling a separate federal tax case against Biden in California. US District Judge Maryellen Noreika, presiding over the gun case, began the jury selection process, during which several potential jurors revealed personal experiences with family members struggling with addiction. One prospective juror became emotional recounting a brother-in-law’s battle with addiction.
In a rare instance of a direct connection to the Biden family, one juror mentioned having worked with First Lady Jill Biden and meeting President Joe Biden multiple times. This juror also supported Ferris Wharton, who ran against Beau Biden, Hunter’s late brother, for Delaware attorney general.
As proceedings commenced, President Joe Biden was in Wilmington after spending the weekend with Hunter at Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. The president expressed his support for his son, stating, “Jill and I love our son and we are so proud of the man he is today,” acknowledging the widespread issue of addiction affecting many families.
Hunter Biden’s trial begins in the wake of former President Trump’s conviction in New York for 34 felony counts of falsifying business records to conceal hush money payments during his 2016 campaign. As Trump, the Republican challenger in the upcoming election, faces multiple legal battles, Republicans see Hunter Biden’s trial as a potential diversion from Trump’s own legal troubles.
If convicted on all charges, Hunter Biden could face up to 25 years in prison, although such sentences are typically reduced. Prosecutors aim to demonstrate that Hunter Biden knowingly lied about his drug use on a federal gun purchase form, bolstered by evidence from his phone and iCloud, which includes photos and messages implicating drug use.
Prosecution witnesses may include Biden’s former wife, Kathleen Buhle, who has alleged in divorce proceedings that he misused funds on drugs, alcohol, and other vices. Biden’s defence is expected to argue that he believed his answer on the gun purchase form to be truthful, possibly citing his completion of a drug rehabilitation program before purchasing the firearm.
As the trial progresses, the implications for the Biden family and the 2024 presidential race will continue to unfold, drawing national attention to a legal drama entwined with the highest levels of American politics.
